Time and Time Again
by AngelicSin
Summary: AU Buffy Summers...a benevolent, gullible young girl who always falls for the wrong guy. When a certain British man arrives as her new neighbor, mixed feelings spur within her...bringing down the walls of hate and love... (This is the retitle of my earlie


Title: Time and Time Again  
  
Author: AngelicSin  
  
Rating: PG-15  
  
Disclaimer: I own nothing but my story. Wish I can have a Spikebot though.  
  
Summary: AU Buffy Summers...a benevolent, gullible young girl who always falls for the wrong guy. When a certain British man arrives as her new neighbor, mixed feelings spur within her...bringing down the walls of hate and love...  
  
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A/N: Hi there, everybody! This is my earlier fanfic "Love's Hassles" retitled. I couldn't update on that story for some reason, so I deleted it and posted the chapters under here instead. There are only a few minor changes with word arrangement, but otherwise the story is the same.  
  
I would like to hear a few thoughts on this chapter, what I need to improve on, etc. And of course compliments are always welcome! ^_~  
  
Just something to take note of. I do know that Willow is Jewish, but in this story she is Catholic to help fit the storyline. I'm sorry if anybody deeply resents that, but it only appears this once so please bear with me here.  
  
Much thanks to my beta reader BebeluvSpike. She has given me much support with this. Please review at the end! I know I've talked on long enough so. on with the story!  
  
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Chapter 1  
  
"WAHHHH!!!!" the baby, Elizabeth Summers wailed with a resonance that shook the entire mansion. The fighting between her mother and grandmother had ceased at the sound. They were arguing over the nickname the two were planning on giving the little girl. Although Elizabeth was a beautiful name, it seemed a bit stuffy to the young mother, Joyce Summers. The crying continued but the loud and quick footsteps could still be heard as they came down the hallway. Bursting in the room was Hank Summers, the father with a look of anger that petrified the two women.  
  
He quietly shut the door and crept soundlessly to the crib in an attempt to not further irritate young Elizabeth. Through the eyes of his wife, her husband had changed into a completely different man. It has become an inveterate action that happened often in the Summers household. Only towards Elizabeth was the man, sweet and tender, gentle and caring. Slowly lifting the baby up, he kissed her ever so lovingly on the silky skin of her cheeks. Holding her close to him, Hank affectionately hugged the little bundle in his arms. Slowly, he turned around with a small smile.  
  
"We shall nickname her Buffy, for she will mature into a strong, independent young woman. She will be intellectual and have an exuberant personality. Everyone will love her at first sight," he chuckled lightly while looking deep into the infant's eyes. "She will have a bright future filled with success and happiness. The man she loves will accompany her as they walk through the journey of life together. She will live the married life fully as I never had." At this Hank Summers placed Buffy back inside her crib, silently crying as he did so. Turning towards the two shocked women, he mumbled, "I love you both." Then he pulled them into an embracing hug. Kisses and words of love were exchanged between the couple, and Hank placed a small kiss on his mother-in-law's cheek. Reluctantly Hank pulled away from the embrace, stepping a few steps backward before whispering, "I'm sorry."  
  
"Hank?" Joyce asked with a slight waver in her voice. Her eyes were clouded over in desperation and confusion as she watched her husband walk out of the room. He picked up the one suitcase he had and waved a good-bye as he put on a sad smile. Taking one last glance at the women, he trudged down the dark stairs towards the open doorway. Joyce was stunned as a repeating mantra began in her head, is this a joke or did he really leave me? The grandmother stared at her daughter in disbelief.  
  
"Go get your man, Joyce! Why are you standing there like an idiot?" The grandmother ranted and raved as she tried to shake Joyce out of her temporary trance. Finally the woman came to her senses and ran out of the room in a desperate effort to get her husband back. However, she was too late. Hank had already disappeared from sight.  
  
"Hank. Hank," Joyce whimpered as she sank to her knees against the tall wall of the mansion. A sudden wail emerged from the baby, as if she was calling back the father that abandoned her.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
As she skated towards the girl hanging onto the rail of the rink, Willow Rosenberg yelled, "Buffy!" The look on Buffy's face was priceless for the usual fearless, stubborn bravado of the girl was gone and the lost, and a scared expression took its place. Willow began to giggle as she saw Buffy holding on the railing with a strong grip.  
  
"Wills! No laughing! This is serious and perilous stuff here! What if I break my neck from this? God, why did I ever follow your advice and try ice skating?" Buffy cried as she desperately tried to maintain her balance on the slippery surface.  
  
"C'mon, Buffy! Don't have that pessimistic attitude! Take my hand and I'll slowly lead you around the rink, okay?" Willow extended her hand for the small brunette to take.  
  
"Ugh, I'm going to have to kill you for this," Buffy hesitantly took the hand that was offered to her and let go of the rail. "Wh-wh-whoa!" exclaimed Buffy as she almost lost her balance. Chuckling, Willow held a strong grasp on her angry friend's arm as they slowly made their way around. Gradually Buffy began to skate on her own, increasing her speed with each lap around.  
  
"See? Not so bad once you get the hang of it, right?" Willow asked with a happy smile.  
  
"Fine. I won't kill you." Buffy pouted but it quickly dissolved into a huge smile of excitement.  
  
"Thank you, Your Majesty," Willow mockingly bowed as the two friends laughed together while they danced about the ice.  
  
"Hey, Wills, remember the time we. AHHHH!!!!" Buffy screamed when she skated straight into a person's chest. Her small body bounced off and her body hit the ice hard. "Hey! Don't stand in people's way, you stupid bastard! What kind of person would just stand in the center of the rink? Damn, you got my jeans all dirty you assho. oh wow." Buffy stared up into the dark brown eyes of a six-foot guy.  
  
"Well, I'll pay for them then. Now, who are you? A golden angel as God's gift to me?" Willow rolled her eyes at the obvious, not to mention cheesy, flirting, but Buffy was deeply entranced by it.  
  
'Okay, Summers. Deep breath, act like your usual self in front of this major salt of goodness. I mean, in front of this stupid asshole'  
  
"Like God would give a bad boy like you something as good as me. My name's Buffy by the way, and yours is?" Buffy asked while gesturing her hand towards him. He took it and kissed the back, with a gentle smile upon his face.  
  
"It's Liam, but everyone calls me Angel," he said as he kept hold of Buffy's hand. "Listen, do you want to go out tomorrow night? If so, meet me here at eight. I guarantee that you'll have fun," Angel grinned as he stared into the hazel eyes of the young girl in front of him.  
  
"And what makes you think I will say yes?" Buffy smirked.  
  
"Because you want to," he dropped her hand and skated to the opening of the rink. "Be there," he simply said before he left the ice.  
  
"Man, what an egotistical bastard. We're only in seventh grade and it looks like he's ready to seduce you. Am I not right, Buffy? Buffy?" Willow waved her hand in front of her friend's dreamy look.  
  
"What? Oh yeah, what a bastard," Buffy covered as she also skated to the opening.  
  
"But you're still going to come tomorrow, aren't you?" Willow grinned at Buffy's sheepish look.  
  
"Well, he is kind of cute," Buffy confessed as they proceeded to the rental counter. The two girls giggled as they took their skates off.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Buffy entered her family's mansion with a slight skip in her steps. She was in incredibly high spirits, and was not prepared for the turmoil that was about to destroy the happiness in her life. Boxes were juxtaposed along the walls near the doorway, marked with black ink on top to indicate what was inside. The rooms in the home were emptied of the belongings that were placed there before. Slowly walking through the hallways, Buffy found the walls stripped of family portraits and prized possessions. Realization hit her as she sprinted up the stairs, yelling for her mom at the top of her lungs. She came across a wearied Joyce Summers. Her tear-streaked cheeks and disheveled hair only increased Buffy's worries.  
  
"Mom? What's happening here?" Buffy asked in a wavering voice, close to tears. Rupert Giles walked in the room and placed an arm around Buffy's shoulders. She looked up at the tweed-clad man, understanding the look in his eyes asking for silence. He guided her out of the room and down the stairs. Buffy knew him well enough to know he would be there for her mom and her. Being a close friend of the Summers since Hank and Joyce were in college, she could instill extreme trust in him. He had been a father-type figure since her own father left her, and she was excessively grateful towards him for it. He sat her down on the floor and joined her, leaning against one of the walls for support. Curling into a small ball, Buffy asked the question she had been dying to hear the answer to.  
  
"Giles? Did my father do this? Did he come here?" Buffy inquired with a fearful look in her eyes. A sigh emerged from the man as he started taking his glasses off to clean them.  
  
"Yes. He did. He came here today without warning, claiming that all of this property should be his. He left thirteen years ago, and he has come back to have this estate in his possession again. You and your mother may only bring a few belongings out of here, and you will stay in my apartment. It's not much, for I'm not a rich man, but I will do everything in my power to make sure both of you are safe and sound. This may take some getting used to, Buffy. You won't have many things that you usually use daily. The neighborhood is a little farther from your school, so you would have to take the bus instead of the usual walking or limousine ride. I'll explain more about the situation later. Please go pack your belongings. We'll be leaving as soon as we can. Oh, remember to bring something of your grandmother's. We want her to be with us, even after her death," Giles stood up and cast a sad look towards the young sobbing girl on the floor. He left the room to help load the car with the few boxes. Buffy finally looked up with a stubborn resolve, determined to make the situation easier on her mother and herself.  
  
Swiftly her suitcases were packed with her possessions along with a locket her grandmother used to wear daily, and she loaded them onto Giles' car on the driveway. She cautiously entered her mother's room, only to see her mother in the same position as before.  
  
"Mom? Everything's packed, let's leave now," Buffy whispered as she helped her mom rise to a standing position. Leaning heavily on Buffy, Joyce sluggishly made her way down the stairs. She did not look back at the house; she did not want to remember anything during this painful time. Buffy helped her mom into the passenger seat of the car before talking to Giles.  
  
"Giles? May I walk through the home one last time? Although it will be a memory that will bring hurt, I need to remember the house I spent all my time in," Buffy requested with her pleading eyes calling out in desperation.  
  
"All right, Buffy, but don't take too long," Giles agreed. Buffy left the side of the car, and made her way up the sidewalk to the entrance. Stepping in, she continued through the hallways of her now former home. She came upon a dent in the wooden floor, and she smiled softly at the memory it brought back. She had been eight years old, and had decided to roller skate through the house. She did not make a few feet before she fell, causing one of her skates to dig into the floor and sprain her ankle. Her mother had spent the whole day with her, making sure she was comfortable and rested. Buffy continued around the house, spending her time reminiscing at the past times. She remembered every detail of the house from the blue velvet chairs to the arbalest that hung over the fireplace.  
  
After some time, she left the house and walked into the chilly winter air. Taking one last glance back at the house, she climbed into the car and prepared for the life to come.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
~ 8 years later ~  
  
"Xander! Get your ass over here before we're late for class!" Buffy screamed down the hallway towards his room. Alexander Harris had been adopted into the out-of-ordinary family Giles and the Summers girls had, as a little brother, for he was one year younger than Buffy. Because of his abusive parents, the law had appointed Giles as Xander's guardian since the beginning years of high school. Xander had been skittish for the first few months, but he had slowly adjusted into the lifestyle of the small family. Soon, he joined Buffy and Willow as best friends. All three of them are now seniors at UC Sunnydale. "Ugh. stop yelling, Buffy! I'm waking up, happy?" Xander groaned as he padded his way to the bathroom for a quick shower. When he came out, Buffy was tapping her left foot repeatedly in annoyance. Her recently dyed golden-blonde hair was slightly curled around her shoulders, emphasizing the silver cross necklace she wore 24/7. Because of her meticulous nature, her appearance seemed perfect. Not a strand of hair out of place nor a dash of makeup where it should not be. Although her attire was neither sexy nor fitting, it was the picture of a happy and comfortable girl.  
  
"Damn, Buffy. Don't you wear anything besides baggy sweats?" Xander joked as he twirled around in place, showing off his in-style outfit. "Just because you're a diligent student and everything, doesn't mean you can't look good!"  
  
"Just hurry up! You know how Wills gets if we're late to psychology," Buffy scolded as she headed out the door. "Bye, Mom! Bye, Giles!"  
  
"Bye, hon! I'll see you later!" the two replied as Buffy and Xander zoomed out the apartment door. Living in a poor economic situation, Giles could only afford so much for Buffy's and Xander's college education. Doing everything they could to ease the money burden, Buffy and Xander decided to live and eat at home to decrease the bill amount.  
  
"You know, I don't get you sometimes," Xander said as the two walked on the path into campus. "Usually you're so independent, but for some reason with Willow it's a whole different story."  
  
"Well when she goes nuts about being late, it sounds like she's one of those chipmunks because she's talking so fast. When I tell her, she just shrugs it off as a method for getting me earlier to class. And it would work if you aren't always so slow!" Buffy argued.  
  
"Is it my fault I need to look good for all the ladies? Just trying to satisfy the audience," Xander cockily smiled as he posed in different modeling positions.  
  
"I doubt you have much of an audience with the lack of muscles there, Xan," Buffy teased as she poked his soft belly.  
  
"Hey! Stop, that tickles!" Xander giggled like a schoolgirl as he tried to evade Buffy's attempts to poke the stomach again.  
  
Nearing the psychology building, Buffy and Xander ran through the crowds as they tried to push their way through. 'One of the great uses of being five- foot-two, easy maneuvering' Buffy thought as she slipped between two stocky men. Upon entering, Buffy stopped abruptly and visibly gawked at one handsome man. "Buffy? What the hell?" Xander looked in the direction Buffy was staring at to find a tall, slender student. He appeared to be about five-foot- eleven, and his black leather duster made him seem taller. His spiked bleached hair was greatly contrasted to his black attire. The blue silk shirt was left unbuttoned, showing a tight black shirt that clung to the man's muscles. It tantalized Buffy as she practically drooled over the body she was seeing.  
  
"Oh no, Buffy, snap out of it! Didn't you say all men were opinionated, egotistical assholes and that a panacea should be used on the world so the women are rid of the evil? Remember that you never wanted boyfriends!" Xander desperately tried to reel Buffy back into the real world but his attempts were futile. The man with spiked hair had turned around, catching Buffy's eye as he did so. He smiled an ever-so-sexy smile, and waved with a small gesture.  
  
"Hello, luv."  
  
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A/N: So that's the first chapter. should I continue? By the way, the stuff about Hank will come up in later, but not immediate, chapters. Everything between Hank and Joyce will be explained after you guys get to read a bit Spuffy ^_^  
  
Remember to leave a review before you go on to another fanfic! 


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